She couldn't help taking a step forward, wanting a better look.
Tang San watched Fu Qin basking in the spotlight, but he didn't feel very good about it.
In his eyes, a younger brother's talent shouldn't surpass his big brother's.
But soon, under the influence of the Intelligence-Reducing Halo, he dismissed the thought.
[Intelligence-Reducing Halo activated, Tang San's favorability +2]
[Thoughts: Though Fu Qin, my little brother, is talented, he respects me, his big brother, a great deal. I shouldn't judge a gentleman with a petty person's heart.]
At that moment, Xiao Wu wore a proud, almost vicarious smile. She couldn't help straightening her slightly aching back.
"Good! Good! Good!" Li Yusong repeated, his face flushed with excitement.
[Name: Fu Qin (Transmigrator)
Actual Age: 33
Soul Power: Level 34 Soul Elder
First Martial Soul: Alchemy Gloves
Second Martial Soul: Godhood Mask
Constitution: Life Affinity Constitution (Advanced)
Innate Buffs: God-Level Luck ProMax+, Intelligence-Reducing Halo Max+, Fate Origin and Dissipation Max+
Techniques: Love Massage (Mastered), Millet Thousand-Catty Stabilization (Practiced), Fire Drawing Technique (Practiced)...
Status: Healthy (Luck's blessing, immune to all diseases)]
Fu Qin and the others followed Li Yusong toward the examination grounds.
Over the past few years,
he had long since digested all of Wang Zhenqiu's fragmented memories. Those Self-Created Soul Skills from the Under One Person world came as naturally to him as breathing.
Especially that devious trick, "Love Massage," which people both loved and hated and which was impossible to guard against. He had already mastered it.
The seemingly gentle force could precisely vibrate an opponent's glands, disrupting their secretions and instantly leaving them weak all over. Overwhelmed by exquisite pleasure, they couldn't even muster the strength to resist. It was more insidious and more effective than simply causing physical damage.
He could clearly feel Ning Rongrong's burning gaze on his back. Her favorability on his status panel had already shot up to 65.
"Tsk, this really is the Love Continent. Favorability goes up way too fast."
Who knew what Ning Rongrong had been thinking when she learned his Soul Power was at level 34—her eyes had lit up like stars. As expected, she probably wanted to recruit him into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Zhu Zhuqing, standing nearby, was much cooler toward him. Her favorability had stayed at 12. The panel showed that although she was interested in his strength,
the label "Already Has a Fiancé" made her deliberately keep her distance. She only occasionally glanced his way, a hint of curiosity hidden in her eyes.
"The grounds for the fourth test are just ahead. It was supposed to be handled by the senior student Dai Mubai, but who knows where he ran off to. Vice Dean Zhao Wuji happened to be free, so he'll be overseeing it himself."
Li Yusong's voice interrupted Fu Qin's thoughts. He pointed to a burly, bald man in the open space ahead.
"This is Zhao Wuji, a Soul Saint and our academy's vice dean. His Martial Soul is the Vajra Bear."
Before Fu Qin could say anything, Ning Rongrong let out a startled cry beside him.
"So he's the Immovable Wisdom King! Grandpa Sword told me about him. Back when he was a Soul Emperor, he broke through the pursuit of dozens of Soul Emperors and two Soul Saints from Spirit Hall. He's quite infamous."
Her voice was full of surprise, and a trace of wariness appeared in her eyes as she looked at Zhao Wuji.
At those words, Zhao Wuji lifted his drooping eyelids. A smug smile curled his lips as he thumped his chest.
"The little girl's got a good eye. It's good you know my reputation. The fourth test is simple: the five of you work together and hold out against me for the time it takes one incense stick to burn. I'll only use my first three Soul Rings. What do you say? Have you got the guts?"
His voice boomed like a great bell, making their eardrums tremble. His Soul Saint-level pressure spread out, and Tang San and Xiao Wu both tensed instinctively.
Tang San was just about to discuss a strategy when he heard dragging footsteps behind him, followed by a pained groan.
"Ow... My back's about to break..."
Fu Qin turned around and saw Dai Mubai approaching with two bruised black eyes, one hand on his waist as he limped along. His face was pale and his steps unsteady—clearly, the result of overindulging the previous night.
Tang San saw what he looked like, and his face instantly turned deathly white. Cold sweat broke out across his palms.
That brainless Dai Mubai... He wouldn't blurt out what happened last night in front of Xiao Wu, would he?
Sure enough, Dai Mubai spotted Tang San among the group. His pained expression instantly bloomed into a radiant smile. Ignoring everyone else, he strode over, slapped Tang San on the shoulder, and boomed, "Brother Tang San! You're something else! Did those girls at the brothel make you feel good last night? I could barely straighten my back when I got up this morning. You sure have stamina!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the air froze.
Fu Qin could clearly feel Xiao Wu's presence turn icy beside him. Her favorability toward Tang San plunged by 30 points on the panel, dropping from 45 to 15, while her hostility toward him shot up to 60.
Xiao Wu's face was cold as frost. Her once lively eyes now brimmed with hostility as she glared at Tang San, as if she wanted to tear him apart and devour him.
Although she had already known Tang San had gone out to have fun, she still had to pretend she knew nothing about it.
"Brother San, don't you think you owe me an explanation?" Xiao Wu's voice was bitterly cold.
Tang San looked flustered, his face full of awkwardness and panic. He hurried forward, trying to explain.
"Xiao Wu, listen to me. It's not what you think..."
"Get lost." Xiao Wu abruptly pulled Fu Qin in front of her, blocking Tang San.
Fu Qin could feel that Xiao Wu's hand at his waist was getting a little too familiar.
On his status panel, Xiao Wu's favorability toward him rose by another 10 points, reaching 425.
Fu Qin laughed to himself. Dai Mubai really was a useless teammate.
Even if his relationship with Xiao Wu was just an act, now that this sort of thing had been dragged into the open, Tang San's carefully cultivated image was bound to collapse.
At that moment,
he cooperated by standing in front of Xiao Wu, his face wearing a perfectly measured look of concern.
"Sister Xiao Wu, don't be angry. Maybe there's some misunderstanding?"
"Misunderstanding?" Xiao Wu sneered, her eyes fixed on Tang San.
"He was gone all night, and now someone says in front of everyone that he went to a brothel to find girls. What could there possibly be to misunderstand?"
Only then did Dai Mubai realize something was wrong. Seeing Xiao Wu's icy expression and Tang San's panicked look, he finally understood that he'd caused trouble.
He scratched his head and gave an awkward smile, trying to change the subject.
"Uh... Hey, pretty girl, I didn't mean to. I didn't know he was your boyfriend..."
His gaze swept over the others, then paused when it landed on Zhu Zhuqing.
Why did this girl look familiar? Had he seen her somewhere before?
But he'd just come from the brothel the night before, and his head was full of images of women. For a moment, he couldn't place her, so he assumed he was mistaken. After all, plenty of girls looked alike.
Fu Qin noticed Zhu Zhuqing's reaction. Her body stiffened instantly, her hands clenching into fists so tightly that her nails nearly dug into her palms.
On the panel, her emotional values shot up at once: anger reached 85, despair hit 60, and her favorability dropped to rock bottom.